Formby Civic News

The Formby Civic Society Newsletter Registered charity No 516789

SECOND BLUE PLAQUE FOR Spring 2016 FORMBY WILL HONOUR BERYL BAINBRIDGE Contents The Lifeboat Quiz 2 History Group Formby will now have a sec- Formby by parents Richard ond Blue Plaque to help cele- Bainbridge and Winifred Chairman’s Notes 3 brate former members of our Baines, having been born in community. Following a pro- Liverpool. The Somme 1916 4 posal from Formby Civic Soci- She had 20 novels published Dr. Sykes 5 ety, it has now been agreed between 1967 and 2011, in- that one will be placed on cluding Formby Breweries 6 47 Ravenmeols Lane, the ‘An Aw- childhood home of author fully Big Wildlife Notes 10 Beryl Bainbridge Adven- We are delighted that the cur- ture’ Answers to the 12 rent property owner, Mr Paul which Lifeboat Quiz Steiger, has given his blessing included Formby War 14 and, as no other 'official' per- descrip- Memorial mission is required, we can go tions of Meetings, Events 16 ahead with design in the hope her years and Officers of it being fixed this summer. in Formby.

Reg Yorke will write about this in greater detail in the next Newsletter, when Biographer we hope to have Huw Marsh de- a report and scribed her as some photo- being a serious graphs of the of- – and often se- ficial ‘unveiling’. riously funny – writer.” Beryl Bainbridge (1932 – 2010) was brought up in We welcome any comments you wish to REGULAR FCS ARTICLE IN THE ‘FORMBY BUBBLE’ make regarding the content of ‘Formby Since the launch of the free newspaper ‘The Formby Bubble’ , Formby Civic News’ as well as Civic Society now has a platform for a regular article that the whole any suggestions you community can read, as well remind everyone of forthcoming activities or talks. We hope you enjoy this. This is a free newspaper make for what may be available every other weekwww.formbycivicsociety.org.uk from Tesco, BP/M&S garage, MyLocal and included in future all newsagents. editions THE FORMBY History Group Report LIFEBOAT - Reg Yorke A QUIZ FOR READERS ‘Lifeboat’ pub. Following a suggestion that Barbara and Reg Yorke have provided the new pub, based on the former Conser- members with a Quiz on the Formby Lifeboat. vative Club in Three Tuns Lane Lane, See how much you know yourself about the should be called ‘The Lifeboat’ we re- U.K.’s first lifeboat. ceived a request for illustrations and histori- cal information by the company

(lctinteriorsolutions.co.uk), who are sup- Formby Lifeboat Station Questions plying the artworks and ‘finishing touches’, A test of local history knowledge. “with relevance towards the chosen site/ name and locality”. We have been very 1. When was the lifeboat station built? pleased to respond with provision of historic 2. What was the reason for the lifeboat images and information relating to the Life- station being built, had there been boat and have been suitably thanked. many shipwrecks or loss of life at sea? 3. Why was the lifeboat station built in Dune Heath/Woodvale interpretive panel. Formby? Is there significance in the We have received a generous Mayoral fact it is near Liverpool. grant for the creation of an Interpretive 4. Who built the lifeboat station? Panel at the boundary of the Dune Heath / RAF Woodvale, to celebrate the contribu- 5. Was this life boat service the first tion of RAF personnel stationed here who known service for sea rescue? lost their lives during WW2. Other former 6. How did the lifeboat station become so RAF stations have done this but so far successful? there has been nothing at Woodvale de- 7. When did the last launch take place? spite the considerable information we have, 8. Are there any particular interesting sto- thanks to Aldon Ferguson. The present day ries about the lifeboat station? What is Dune Heath was of course part of the air- the legacy of the lifeboat station na- field and a site for the Memorial has been tionally and internationally? to the for- agreed with Lancashire Wildlife Trust over- mation of the RNLI. looking number two runway. It would be nice if the unveiling of this could be com- *The term ‘Lifeboat’ was not used until bined with a walk like we did last year but later. The answers can be found on page 12 first we need to progress the design and construction of the panel with the Wildlife Trust.

Ravenmeols Trails official opening . This will take place on Sunday 11th September , Heritage Open Day. Meanwhile the trails are being marked out and Interpretation Panels created and placed. A full colour leaflet is already printed and available. A booklet is also a possibility.

Page 2 Formby Civic News Civic Day June 18th Formby Heritage dis- SOME WORDS FROM play. I suggest we organise a display, in an appropriate place, on 'Local Heritage’. THE CHAIRMAN New regulations give us an opportunity to add to the Local Heritage List and, with our I wish to thank again the contributors to records and local history knowledge, we our newsletter as well as the people who are in a good position to review and update contribute so much ‘behind the scenes’ in the list for submission to the Heritage Envi- term of work such as proof-reading, print- ronment Record Officer . This would include ing and distribution. the main War Memorials which surprisingly This is now the tenth year in which Phil have never been listed. Most of the build- Smith has put together his fascinating ings and structures on the present 'list' will Wildlife Notes. Complete with the colour- have been photographed by the Society in ful images. the past. This would be an opportunity to show new photographs of how they are You will also see that Reg Yorke has looking now and add some suggestions for hardly taken a backwards step with his further listing under the new arrangements. wide range of ideas and suggestions for ensuring we do not lose sight of any of National Trust, proposed Early Flying Formby’s colourful past. Also, thanks to interpretive panel; in relation to early fly- Barbara Yorke for joining Reg to create ing development few visitors to the Victoria our Lifeboat Quiz. Is this the Newsletter’s Road Reserve are aware that there was an first ever quiz? Answers on a postcard to early (official) aerodrome, with five hangers, me, please. sited at the beach end of Victoria, Road, where courageous early flying took place You will find our Summer and Autumn prior to World War I. I feel we owe it to Programmes outlined on the back page, these early pioneers to highlight this impor- and I hope you are able to join us in tant historical period , which has until now some of them. been completely overlooked,. We are in dis- One matter I have to raise is our short- cussion with Andrew Brockbank regarding age of members involved in helping out the creation of a suitable information panel with running our Society. I am a relative and Informal advice is being obtained re- newcomer to FCS but I believe that we garding design from ABC design. as a group of Formby residents have a part to play in the present and future of World War 1 Formby Times reports. our community. There are jobs that could Thanks to the considerable time and effort help us all out a great deal, either by indi- put in since November 2014, by Tony Paw- viduals or small groups of friends. Please son, the Chairman and Tony Bonney, (not do not be ‘put off’ forgetting the Information Services team at by names such as Crosby Library), we now have a consider- ‘secretary’, we can able archive relating to Formby and its peo- always agree on ple during World War I. I am hopeful that as what needs to be a society we can make good use of this in- done and how it formation to discover what happened in can be done. All Formby during that time. Perhaps we help will be grate- should organise a special open meeting fully received, sup- during the next season to discuss some of ported and wel- it? comed!!!

Spring 2016 Page 3 The Battle of the Somme 1916 and Formby

John Phillips

On July 1st this year we will commemorate the first day of the Battle of the Somme in World War I. Formby may have been a small enough place at that time but our community had sent many of its sons to fight in the army. The Somme was not a ‘one-off’ battle. It con- sisted of three separate phases and many dif- ferent contributory battles, beginning on 1.7.1916 with the Battle of Albert and conclud- ing on 18.11.1916 with the end of the Battle of the Ancre. British casualties on the first day were the worst in the history of the British army: over 19,000 troops were killed and over 57,000 were injured.

We can find the stories of many Formby sol- diers who fell in that conflict and can trace a number of them back to their families and their Another story we wish to tell, is that of ordinary lives before they joined up. There will the men who fell between September be a full report on this in the Autumn issue. and October 1916 and in whose memory a small cross was erected at the Ginchy Pte. George Christopher Christophers for ex- Advanced Dressing Station Cemetery in ample, died aged 38 on 27 July 1916 during France in October 1916. Later, after the the Battle of the Somme. Known as ‘Chris’, War had ended, this cross was trans- Private Christophers was the son of two of the ferred to the churchyard of St. Peter’s in Christophers family Formby and stands proudly today just influential in opening inside the wall and facing Green Lane. It the ‘Wesleyan commemorates 8 fallen soldiers, two of Church’ in Elbow whom came from Formby: Lane, now the Meth- odist Church. Mother Lt. Kenneth Lotherington Hutchings (of Marion and sister ‘South View’, Old Town Lane) and Hope ran a school at 2nd. Lt. George Eric Thompson. their home in Whoof House, Elbow Lane, at the outbreak of war. The Formby Is there anything you know about Formby Times reported that he was officially over the and the Battle of the Somme that you can limit for joining the army aged 36, but found a add for our article in the Autumn edition? way in through the Sportsmen’s Battalion of If so, please contact the Chairman. the Royal Fusiliers.

Page 4 Formby Civic News Dr. Arthur Sykes of Formby

Most members of the Civic Society will His mother was Sarah Whitley Mullin know the story of Dr. Arthur Sykes of Duke (1849 – 1909), sisters Margaret, Aida, Street and how he purchased the land that Evangeline and Doris, and brothers Eus- is now Duke Street Park from a local farmer tace, Richard, Rhea, Noel, Reginald, and then gave it to the Formby Urban Dis- Jack and Harry. trict of the time so long as it remained for Dr. Sykes’ son, David, made his living use by the people. The story is well told by selling aeroplanes in the 1950s and Reg Yorke and can be found on our Soci- 1960s, ending up living in Canada. He ety website. Perhaps a number of you re- was amused that while he enjoyed travel- member him. One of the three ladies who ling, his father seems much happier in lived in my own house before me used to Formby! He had, indeed, served in the work as a Royal Navy during WWI, but son David receptionist felt that he may also have been affected at his sur- adversely by the Hall Road train disaster gery. Reg in which his brother was one of 20 people has painted killed when the 16:30 Liverpool Ex- a lively pic- change to Southport express collided ture of him, with a local train at Hall Road. but let us David Sykes recalled the family interest take the op- in sport. Both Dr. Sykes and his brother, portunity Jack, played amateur football, and cousin here of filling Frank Rimmer was 6 feet 7 inches tall in the pic- and played cricket for Lancashire, a ture even “mean left-handed bowler”. Brother Jack further, as also enjoyed a passion for guns having well as show been allowed to buy a 2.2 repeating rifle a photo- when he was 17! He left a number of graph of ‘marks’ on the walls of the house but was him. lucky on one occasion not to have Dr. Arthur Barry Sykes had been born in caused much more serious damage. He Formby in 1876 and lived here all his life. was showing his mother just how safe He used his home, Ashhurst in Duke the gun was whilst they were in an up- Street, as a surgery. The old stone gates stairs room when he accidently fired show the name of the house. Originally, through the floor, narrowly missing the however, he had been brought up in Manor domestic servant Polly Hughes who im- House in Freshfield Road; the family later mediately dived under the breakfast table moved into another family home, Ashhurst, in the dining room. The family managed which had been built by his uncle, Joseph to have it repaired quickly by one of the Rimmer (an estate agent in Liverpool). Formby Brothers (who had built the Dr. Sykes’ father, Benjamin Sykes (1846 – house originally); the job was so good 1905) planted about four hundred fruit trees that Dr. Sykes never saw it, though you in the garden of the house, and this area of might manage to see it if you knew where to look. what was probably three to four acres stretched back to Brow’s Lane. The family Arthur Sykes died in December 1960, aged 84.

Spring 2016 Page 5 Remembering ‘Jacky Water’ - the old Breweries of Formby

John Phillips and Tony Bonney

At a time when Formby has a new brew- Hotel in Duke Street, the Grapes in Thorn- ery and welcomes two new pub ventures, ton and the Liver at the top of South Road, it is a good time to look back at what ex- Waterloo. They both appear in the 1885 isted here in the past. Glen Monaghan & Voters List. An Edward Dickenson can also David Blanchard decided to open Red be found as a publican at the Grapes. Star Brewery on Formby Industrial Es- tate. He contacted the Civic Society to The Royal in Liverpool Road was the main outlet for the Reciprocity Brewery which ask what there had been in terms of th breweries in our community in former stood behind it. In the late 19 century, the years. Well, we are happy to oblige and brewer / publican was Thomas Rimmer who here is what we know; we would be also appears in the 1885 Voters List as well pleased to hear from anyone who can as various Seeds Directories of Formby. A provide further information or correct any map of 1892 shows the brewery still in op- mistakes. eration but the 1904 OS map lists it as be- ing disused. There were two breweries serving the community in the 19th and 20th centuries, though prior to then there was the Formby Arms in Green Lane, opposite St. Peter’s Church. This is now a private house and also served in the past as a parsonage. There were also the South- port Brewery in Scarisbrick Road, South- port and the Crown Brewery in Upper We have more information and comment Aughton Road, Ainsdale. about the Dickinsons’ Formby Brewery than the Reciprocity Brewery. We also have two The Formby Brewery in Brewery Lane drawings by Muriel Sibley, both shown on was run by the Dickenson family. They these pages. An interview enjoyed recently are shown as Thomas and William Rim- th with Paradise Lane resident Stan Bourhill mer Dickinson in the late 19 century and alerted us to the ‘character’ of the Formby they provided the beer for the Railway Brewery and its reputation within the com-

Page 6 Formby Civic News munity, and this enabled us to track down In September 1980, Thomas Sutton reminiscences about it from the mid-twentieth added his own memories. He had grown century. In 1966, John S. Roberts described up on Ravenmeols Farm and his father in the ‘Formby Times’ the taste of the ale from used to provide the horses for the the ‘Old Brewery, “It was a very dark, Formby Lifeboat. He said, “I used to go ‘unfined’ (i.e. ‘cloudy’ drink). Visitors used to twice a week to the brewery to pick up hold it up to the light doubtfully, taste it, then the mash, which was left over from the hold it up again. But eventually they grew to like it and Formby beer became very popular. brewing, for our cattle. And I was still Many of the older men would drink nothing going in the 1940s.... Mr. Sutton de- else. There are stories that some of them scribed how he used to watch the beer made friends with the brewery workers and being brewed. The ingredients were put spent a good deal of time on the premises, in a large copper boiler and then the liq- drinking out of a bucket to save glasses. They uid ran out into a vat to ferment. It was seem to have found Formby Ale fairly potent then cooled on a wooden-louvred floor. because they were often fighting amongst There was also a malting room where themselves. Apparently pigeons used to roost sometimes barley was put into a big vat on the rafters above the vats and this is sup- to soak and to germinate. When this posed to have added ‘something’ to the drink.” Well, we first heard that story from Stan had happened, the seeds were spread Bourhill who chuckled as he remembered out in the malting room and were then those times. turned over with big wooden spades. They were crushed afterwards between

two iron rollers. Mr. Sutton described The Old Brewery the ‘Jacky’ as a little fish and not a tad- pole as some people thought; he said We also have two the beer was called ‘Jacky Water’ as a accounts from joke because it was so cloudy and it 1980. In July 1980 was not anything to do with a local Albert Aindow, a Grapes Hotel regular, re- source of water for brewing. “It may called, “The ale they served then was brewed have been cloudy but it never made you locally and was known as Jacky Water be- ill the next day. There were no chemi- cause it was meant to come from a local ditch cals in the Dickinson’s brew. The locals that had ‘Jackies – little fish – in it. The thicker used to drink nothing else but strangers the ale was, the better it was. The doctors to the area used to send it back be- wouldn’t prescribe Guinness, they would pre- cause it was so cloudy.” Remembering scribe this Jacky Water. It was certainly better times past at the Formby Hotel, he de- than ale anywhere today. You could drink it all scribed how the bowling green regulars night and never get drunk or have a bad the used to play for a gallon of Dickinson’s following day.” Ale. He recalled that it was called Wil- liam Rimmer Dickinson’s Brewery – by this time the brewery was run by only one of the brothers. “The best thing about ‘Old Uncle’s’ (that’s what we used to call Bill Dickinson) brewery was that Albert and friends in the Grapes 1980 he used to give away more ale than he sold.”

Spring 2016 Page 7 Dr. Phil Smith Wildlife Notes Winter 2015 – Spring 2016

An incredibly dry autumn meant that coastal bug at Pinfold meadow, Ainsdale National Na- wetlands like Wicks Lake at Formby Point ture Reserve. Although it is supposed to be were bone dry at the end of October. How- relatively common and widespread, this was ever, the following three months were much my first for the Sefton Coast and brings the wetter than average, including several named total of Shieldbugs I have recorded here to storms, leading to flooding further north and a eleven. dramatic increase in the dune water-table Another sur- here. I monitored this in the deepest part of prise was a the Devil’s Hole slack at Ravenmeols. Start- Ruddy Darter ing well below the ground surface, the water dragonfly was over 60cm deep by early March, repre- (pictured) at senting an extraordinarily rapid rise of 110cm Birkdale on in four months (see graph). However, a return the 2nd Octo- to a typical spring drought in March led to a ber, the latest marked downturn in the level. By late winter, date for Lancashire and North Merseyside. As as well as Devil’s Hole, wetlands all along the usual, patches of flowering Ivy at Ravenmeols coast were flooded, including Wicks Lake, were graced by superb Red Admirals and now with plenty of water and returning Mal- Commas. Plants also provided some October lards for excitement. Mount Olympus St. John’s-wort, visitors to a garden escape spotted by Patricia Lock- feed. wood, had not been recorded before in North- It was also a west England. Well-attended guided walks to remarkably explore saltmarsh vegetation at Marshside mild autumn turned up three new plants for me, the scarce and winter Taschereau’s Orache and Kattegat Orache with few cold and the even rarer Long-stalked Orache. spells, Continuing mild weather in November pro- hardly any frost and no snow at all in Formby. vided sand-dune flowers throughout the This had an effect month, such as Blue Fleabane and Sea May- on wildlife sight- weed. Unusually late insects included a ings, with lots of Speckled Bush-cricket at Freshfield and a insect activity Birch Shieldbug on my car in Formby. Floods throughout the at the Marshside RSPB reserve attracted a autumn. An Octo- spectacular flock of 4000 Black-tailed God- ber highlight for wits from their Icelandic breeding grounds. me was a Red- These long-billed waders are renowned for legged Shield-

Page 8 Formby Civic News long-distance migrations, coloured leg-rings Other essential management work involved being used to track them. Between 2003 and organising 14 volunteer “buckthorn bashes” 2014, as well as being reported in Iceland, between October and February in the south- one individual was seen in northern France, ern Birkdale frontal dunes Portugal and numerous English localities, in- Twenty enthusiasts were recruited to clear cluding Hampshire, Essex, Kent, Lincoln- invasive Sea Buckthorn from about 15ha of shire, Norfolk and Leighton Moss in Lanca- botanically-rich dunes and slacks. shire. Also typical of November was an influx of Short-eared Owls from the continent, I also spent three days in December present- small numbers being widely reported. I saw ing evidence on behalf of the Lancashire one at Cabin Hill but the Wildlife Trust’s new Wildlife Trust at the Sefton Local Plan inquiry. Lunt Meadows reserve had up to half a This concerned the Trust’s formal objection to dozen owls, bringing bird photographers from planned development on several designated far and wide. and proposed Local Wildlife Sites.

As usual, December was a relatively quiet By January, the Cabin Hill wetlands were be- month for wildlife, though one major distrac- ginning to flood, my monthly visit producing tion was a whole Coconut covered in 21 Common Snipe and 10 of the smaller and Goose Barnacles scarcer Jack Snipe. Large insects are a rare found by Sefton rang- sight in mid-winter, so I was surprised to find ers on Crosby beach. a big hairy Fox Moth caterpillar on one of my No doubt this had dune walks. Also unexpected was a Chiff- come from the Carib- chaff calling at Freshfield Dune Heath re- bean on the Gulf serve, though this summer-visiting warbler Stream. Part of my spare time was spent has been seen more often in winter since the helping to supervise the excavation of three 1950s. shallow scrapes for Natterjack Toads in the Ainsdale sandhills funded by the Landscape My attention was also drawn to lots of small Partnership Scheme. The largest was in a puffballs on long stalks. These turned out to slack infested with dense Sea Buckthorn; so be Winter Stalk-ball, a rather local fungus of “two birds with one stone”. calcareous dunes. Even rarer, however, was the Red-eared Terrapin washed up dead on the tideline at Ainsdale. This American fresh- water turtle was far more likely to be a dumped pet washed out of Sands Lake, than a trans-Atlantic voyager.

Although February is considered the depth of winter, it is easy to find signs of approaching spring, perhaps reflected most obviously in

the Snowdrop.

Spring 2016 Page 9 Having escaped north Wirral shore, flying across Liverpool Bay from gardens this to take advantage of disturbance-free condi- lovely flower has be- tions on the Rifle Range frontage. Mobile come increasingly flocks of Crossbills during March included ten abundant since the on Freshfield Dune Heath Nature Reserve 1960s, being espe- with their unmistakable chipping calls. Late in cially prolific at the month, catkins on Goat and Grey Willow Cabin Hill Wood. By attracted numerous queen Buff-tailed Bum- late February it had been joined by other blebees, together with a few Red-tailed and spring bulbs, such as the delightful Early Tree Bumblebees. I also called in at Larkhill, Crocus, Garden Grape-Hyacinth and ubiq- Formby, to enjoy the wonderfully colourful uitous Daffodils. The latter are mostly gar- male catkins of Purple Willow. Nearby, three den varieties, apart from a long-established Red Squirrels were showing in the National colony of the small wild Daffodil near the Trust’s “squirrel reserve”, the dark fur of one entrance to Ainsdale National Nature Re- individual being a reminder of their continental serve. One of the first native flowers is the origin. Finally, a sunny Good Friday brought tiny white-flowered Common Whitlow- out the first Sand Wasps and a Groundhop- grass, a member of the cabbage family. per at Ravenmeols and a report from Pete Also appearing before the end of the month Kinsella of Vernal Mining Bees, three Wheat- were Lesser Celandine and Colt’s-foot, ears, and his earliest ever Swallow at while the earliest of the “pussy-willows”, Si- Hightown. berian Violet-willow supported its charac- teristic decorative catkins. Increasing bird March 2016 song is also a feature of February, Robin, A fairly wet start and finish to the month were Blackbird and Great Tit being prominent separated by a prolonged settled spell of songsters in Ravenmeols Woods. A Song about two weeks, rather typical of recent early Thrush came regularly to food in my garden springs. The dry period caused a fall of about but its tuneful repetitive phrases are heard 3.5cm in the sand-dune water-table, according much less often these days. Most powerful to my weekly measurements at the Devil’s of all, however, was a Mistle Thrush really Hole slack. However coastal wetlands re- letting rip from one of the tallest trees in mained deeply flooded throughout, attracting Freshfield. the usual early breeding amphibians. A visit to The March meeting of the Altcar Training Wicks Lake on 10th was enriched by the gentle Camp Conservation Advisory Group brought purring of male Common Frogs in the reed- news of Steve Cross’s monthly counts of the bed, while more strident calls came from male high-tide shorebird roost south of Formby Common Toads competing for females. Near Point. This may well be the largest single the brim-full lake were lots of spring flowers, wader-roost between the Dee and the Rib- including the first Primroses and garden- ble with a remarkable December peak of escapes such as Siberian Squill, Corsican 37,500 birds, Knot being the dominant spe- Hellebore and Spring Snowflake. cies. Many of these waders feed on the

Page 10 Formby Civic News included the flowering of several kinds of wil- lows. At Ravenmeols, the male “pussy willow” catkins of Goat and Grey Willow attracted hosts of queen bumblebees, mainly Buff- tailed but also a few Red-tailed and Tree Bumblebees. I also stopped off at Larkhill, Formby, to photograph the wonderfully colour- ful catkins of Purple Willow, one of my fa- vourite plants. Nearby, three Red Squirrels were showing at the National Trust’s “squirrel reserve”, one particularly dark individual re- A couple of days later, large numbers of flecting the likely continental origin of this Common Toads were assembling to population. Another targeted visit was to the spawn at Cabin Hill. It was rather disturb- Southport Marine Lake dunes, where the na- ing to count 58 individuals recently killed tionally rare Early Sand-grass is locally abun- by a predator that had mainly eaten just dant. Being only about 3cm tall, it is often de- the back legs. We have seen this kind of scribed as “the smallest grass in the World” mortality at Cabin Hill before but have and also has a particularly early flowering never been able to identify the perpetrator. season from February to April. It seems to be quite unusual because Early insects included a Small Tortoishell on Common Toads are protected by poison 7th and a black beetle I encountered on the glands in their skin. On 25th, I counted 12 frontal dunes at Ainsdale on 13th. I knew it Smooth Newts in the scrape near Range was a weevil but this is an enormous family. Lane, Formby. These newts are common Nevertheless, it didn’t take long to identify it and widespread in the dunes but often on the internet as the Black Marram Weevil, hard to see because they prefer deep wa- a local insect confined to dunes around the ter at this time of year. Through my binocu- British coast. A warm sunny Good Friday pro- lars, I watched a female trying to eat Frog duced a Sand Wasp and a Groundhopper at spawn, a behaviour I hadn’t observed be- Ravenmeols, while Pete Kinsella reported the fore, though it is mentioned in the litera- first Vernal Mining Bees at Hightown, where ture. he also saw three Wheatears and his earliest Also new to me ever Swallow. was a pale blue Other birds on the move included Crossbills “tide-line” reported at several places along the coast. A around a scrape mobile flock of 10 with their unmistakable at Birkdale chipping calls was at Freshfield Dune Heath Green Beach. Nature Reserve on 16th, while five Redpolls Closer inspection revealed thousands of feeding on Sea Rush seeds made an attrac- 1mm-long jewel-like Ostracods, a type of tive picture at Weld Road saltmarsh, Birkdale planktonic crustacean sometimes known at the end of the month. as “Seed Shrimps”. Other signs of spring

Spring 2016 Page 11 Inside Story Headline The Redpoll used to be a common bird largest single wader roost from the Dee hereabouts but has undergone a massive to the Ribble. It seems many of these decline both nationally and locally since birds feed on the north Wirral shore, fly- the 1970s. Avocets continued their spring ing across Liverpool Bay at high-water to influx to the RSPB’s Marshside Nature take advantage of the disturbance-free Reserve, where I counted 60 on 14th. beach at Altcar.

Remaining winter visitors included 38 The Sefton Coast’s reputation spreads Common Snipe and three Jack Snipe at far and wide. Recently, I was contacted by the Millennium Seed Bank at Kew to request a sample of Dune Wormwood seed for the National Collection. Crosby Coastal Park is one of only two British localities for a plant first found here in 2004. Cabin Hill, where the flock of curious and

surprisingly tame Herdwick sheep from the Lake District strolled right up to me. This attractive and hardy breed is ideal for LIFEBOAT QUIZ: conservation grazing on the National Na- ture Reserve. THE ANSWERS

When was the lifeboat station built? The original station was built before 1776 as its existence was marked on a navigation chart of that date. The ‘original station’ would however have only been a light-weight structure, de- scribed in the contemporary documents as a ‘shade’.

What was the reason for the lifeboat A meeting of the Altcar Training Camp station being built, had there been Conservation Advisory Group brought many shipwrecks or loss of life at news of Steve Cross’s monthly counts of sea? Yes, there were increasing losses shorebirds for the national wetland birds of ships and lives at that time due to in- creasing trade, the dangerous and ever- survey. During the winter, up to 37,500 changing channels and inadequate pro- waders flocked to the high-tide roost on vision of navigation aids such as buoys the Rifle Range frontage, Knot being the and beacons. dominant species. This is probably the

Page 12 Formby Civic News Why was the lifeboat station built in When did the last launch take place? Formby? Is there significance in the fact 15 April 1916 : a practice launch with the it is near Liverpool. Yes, the port of Liver- aid of the Royal Artillery men and horses pool which by definition at that time ex- then stationed at Altcar. A film was made tended from the mouth of the Ribble to of this launch and is now available on CD Anglesey was rapidly increasing in impor- from North West Film Archives. tance but the seaward approaches were extremely risky and continuously chang- ing. The two main channels had not been stabilised and the sandbanks were con- stantly shifting.

Who built the lifeboat station? When “a boat for saving lives” was initiated at Formby Point, it became necessary for, a “lifeboat station” to be constructed. Origi-

nally this was a light wooden structure. It was built on the orders of the Dock Mas- Are there any particular interesting sto- ter William Hutchinson and Dock Trus- ries about the lifeboat station? Yes, per- tees. Prior to this the Dock Trustees had haps the most interesting is that involving supported a ‘scheme for saving lives the then village doctor Richard Sumner; from drowning’ at the Old Dock. This had the loss of the Pilot Boat No 1 ‘The Good been initiated by a Liverpool Physician Dr Intent’, in 1833. Unfortunately the Formby Thomas Houlston. lighthouse keeper drowned, and of a crew of 22 only 9 were saved. (See pp 27-42,

‘Britain’s First Lifeboat Station’; Yorke & Was this life boat service the first Yorke, Alt Press 1982). known service for sea rescue? Yes, it

was the first ever vessel, stationed, manned and dedicated to the sole pur- What is the legacy of the lifeboat station pose of saving life from the sea. Follow- nationally and internationally? The suc- ing researches Patrick Howarth of the cess of the station led to the establishment RNLI visited us, look at the evidence and of similar stations by the precursors of the the site, and recorded the fact that Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, at Liv- Formby was the first in his book erpool itself, the Magazines, (now New ‘Lifeboat, In Dangers Hour’.* Brighton), Hoylake, Hilbre Island, and Point of Ayr. Subsequently other coastal organi- The term ‘Lifeboat’ was not used until sations and port authorities followed suit, later. subsequently leading to the formation of the RNLI. How did the lifeboat station become so successful? Simply because it was placed in an appropriate geographical position and fulfilled an increasing need when new docks were constructed and the port of Liverpool developed. The vol- ume of shipping entering and leaving in- creased. The work of the Litherland Life- boat builder Richard Costain who devel- oped improved and specialised boat de- sign also played a significant part.

Spring 2016 Page 13 FORMBY WAR MEMORIAL Reg Yorke

a friend ,or take a stroll”. A Memorial to those who died which will give joy and pleasure to the young and old who when passing through the gates of the garden will ever remember the fallen”.

It is now largely forgotten that at that time there was very little open public space in Formby. Despite it being a rural village, what is now the Duke Street Park was still a farm, the sand dunes and pinewoods were private property and intruders prosecuted. The only A Formby War Memorial, was first pro- recognised sports area was the Cricket Club posed in April 1919 when a special commit- ground. The small local private schools may tee was established to look into it. The first have had some playing fields but the three question was where it should be placed. local church schools only had playgrounds. The Weld Blundell and the Formby Estates The present day open fields at Deansgate were approached but needed to know how Lane were intensively farmed. The idea of “a much land was required and the proposed Memorial Garden” was greatly welcomed and nature of the Memorial. The provision of a now differentiates Formby’s Memorial from park was considered but thought to be too most others. expensive. Following discussion it was re- It so happened that the site at the corner of solved unanimously that a monument be erected in memory of the fallen and the Three Tuns Lane and School Lane was still necessary appeal be made to finance it, undeveloped as it had been considered for after which the design was to be left in the the site of new council offices, the previous hands of a committee. It was finally agreed Council Offices in Moorhouse Buildings, that the Weld Blundell estate would provide Church Road becoming inadequate as a suitable site. In addition to a monument a Formby grew. letter was received from the Lord Lieuten- ant of the County suggesting an application In a letter to the Formby Times Mr Stephen- to the War office for two German guns to son suggested a stone archway entrance be allocated to Formby! The local govern- carved on which would be its name ‘Formby ment board offered to sanction Memorial Garden’. Inside the gates a tablet “reasonable expenditure” but it was re- could be erected suitably inscribed and the solved unanimously that Formby Urban names of “our comrades who have fallen” District Council should bear the cost of the written. For the expert gardeners in the district peace celebrations and Memorial out of the the planning and planting would be a labour of general district rate. love to make a park or flowerbed to take part Cllr Fred Stephenson (an upholster) then or flowerbed under their special care. It would recommended the creation of a Memorial be surrounded and provided with gravel Garden with gravel walks, and seats; “a walks, seats and a ‘shelter house’. “A place place in the fresh air a central point to meet to go to sit in the fresh air a central point at

Page 14 Formby Civic News aim for to meet a friend or take a stroll”. He Lilian Rushton leads pointed out that at that time there was no- FCS campaign where in the district for boys and youths to play football or cricket. Opposition to this was first voiced by then Councillor Eric Storey when the There was considerable support for the idea plans came up to the Sefton District that the Memorial should be a recreation Council Planning Department. ground and it was decided to use the ‘piece of land at Three Tuns Lane corner” owned by A Formby Civic Society founder member the Weld Blundell family which had been re- and talented local artist Lillian Rushton, served “in case they should want it for Coun- then took up the battle with the proposed cil Offices”. developers. After a two-year battle the site was recognised as a charitable trust. The design of the Memorial was carried out The Council then complied with an order by JF Keely and Sons, monumental sculp- made by the Charity Commissioners pre- tors, Birkdale and was unveiled on 12 No- serving the status of the site “so that it can never be used for another purpose vember 1922. It was carved from Cornish without consent of the commission”. granite standing on a substantial (below ground) concrete base. Thus the memorial and its garden were saved for posterity on its present promi- In 1975 There was a proposal to move the nent and suitable site. Memorial, when Sefton Metropolitan District Council together with developers Telegraph Recorded simply by their names are the Properties and the Royal Liver Friendly Soci- deaths of a hundred and twenty Formby ety, intended to move it away and remove the people who died for their country. “One garden as part of a redevelopment scheme. of the name is of a woman, Jane Murray. Six of them are from the Mawdesley family. Of the three Aindows, one John is distinguished from another John by the description "Boathouse". Many other families lost two or three of their sons. One hundred and twenty men out of a total population of six thousand was a sad loss” (Kelly, E. ‘Viking Village’1973, Images relating to proposed changes taken p 100). from the Formby Times of July 1973 The garden is now maintained by Sefton Council with payments made from a Trust Fund via the Parish Council.

Behind this memorial is another, to the memory of the men killed in the second World War. On this semi-circular stone wall, which fits in so well with the central This was to include pedestrianisation’ and re- cross, are inscribed the names of sixty- alignment of Three Tuns and Halsall Lanes. A eight more Formby men killed between two tier car park to accommodate 315 cars 1939 and 1945. was also proposed.

Spring 2016 Page 15 Summer Programme

A copy of our Summer 2016 Programme can be found with this Newsletter. It has a variety of activities throughout June, July, August and September and includes a number of walks of differing but not challenging length.

Putting together this Programme has been more difficult than usual this year as we have no individual or small group of Members who keep an eye on this area and liaise with the Com- mittee to decide its final composition.

We would dearly welcome some support in what is not an onerous job in itself and which would receive every support and encouragement from the Committee. The work is done mainly in the early spring and with extra tweaking in early summer.

All Meetings and Activities will also be advertised on the website and the fortnightly free newspaper, ‘The Formby Bubble’, alongside a regular article written by FCS members.

Officers of the Society

Chairman John Phillips, [email protected] Tel: 831804

Treasurer David Skelton, [email protected] 2 Shaw Crescent, L37 3JE Tel: 875033

Amenities Secretary David Irving assisted by Yvonne Irving, [email protected] Tel: 630192

Hon. Secretary Reg Yorke (post vacant from January 2016) [email protected]

History Group Secretary Dr. Reginald Yorke, Briardale, 3 Wicks Lane, Formby, L37 3JE Tel: 872187, [email protected]

Membership and Distribution Secretary Tony Bonney, [email protected]

Committee Mrs. Jean Beer (minutes secretary), Colin Cooke, Ray Derricott, Andrew Pearce

Webmaster and IT Advisor Noel Blundell

Digital Archives Tony Bonney

www.formbycivicsociety.org.uk